“There’s this famous town in Japan that is known to have more scarecrows than people. 35 residents and hundreds of scarecrows. And they’re all made by this one little old lady, who’s like 65 years old and has lived there her whole life. Every scarecrow she makes is of a person who’s moved away fromContinue reading Scarecrow Village
“A few years back I fainted from overwork at my job here in Japan. So I told myself I can’t keep putting other people and work first. I need to give myself priority, too, and push back whenever possible. Right now I have a really good job that I love. I’m back on my feet.Continue reading Samurai Spirit
“I’m from Israel and I came to Japan with my Japanese girlfriend, but then we broke up a year after we moved here. We were together for 13 years. We’re still friends though and I’ve moved onto a new relationship. Right now I’m doing my postdoctoral research in neuroscience. I study motor skills and myContinue reading Postdoc
“I was born with a disability called inherited clubfoot. It’s a chromosomal abnormality in which a person’s feet are bent from birth. Imagine your feet pointing towards each other, rather than facing front. But I have never let it become a hindrance in my life. Growing up, kids used to make fun of me, IContinue reading Making the Most Out of Life
“There is no distinct native culture for people who were born and have been brought up in an international environment. As an Indian who grew up in Dubai, I find it very hard to identify a place where I are from and where I wanna be. I think this is true for anyone who hasContinue reading Where Do I Belong?
“I identify myself as a global citizen. My identity is not bound by nationality just because my passport was issued in Indonesia and I’m a second-generation Chinese Indonesian. I have a friend with whom I share values with that go beyond perceived differences. She’s Russian-American. However, it’s hard to find people who are also cosmopolitan,Continue reading Global Citizen
“I’m a bit of a control freak. But for someone who needs to plan everything, I just went with the flow when I came to Japan. I was considering two options after finishing university back home in Spain: unpaid internships that may lead to an actual position or go abroad and learn languages. I remember thinkingContinue reading Stick to Your Guns
“Whenever people ask me if my life in Japan is tough, I tell them it is when you don’t have money. But compared to when I was growing up in Nepal, life here is cushy. We didn’t have water, electricity or gas on the mountain where we lived, and I used to walk for twoContinue reading Twist of Fate
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I like being an African woman so much, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I like being in Japan but for the first year I had culture shock. My first year, I couldn’t eat Japanese food, but after all that, my life in Japan began to have meaning. Being an African woman, sometimesContinue reading A Life of Learning
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I’m originally from Korea but moved to Canada and lived there for about 15 years, so I consider myself more Canadian than Korean now. I work in the legal industry and I practice law. I think I blend into Japanese society to a certain extent, which is why I like confusing people. Even thoughContinue reading Different Expectations
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “When my father died of lung cancer, I realized I needed to do something with my life. He dedicated his entire life to his family and left nothing for himself. My mom once told me he didn’t buy clothes for himself for years, so his kids could have a good education. Thanks to himContinue reading Live Life With No Regrets
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I think Japan’s work culture is getting better. Younger people are pickier about the companies they’re entering. A lot of people now actually want to be able to take their yuukyuu (paid leaves). That would’ve been seen as a joke at a lot of places 10 or 15 years ago. But now, with buzzwordsContinue reading Change is Afoot
